Parents taking children on holidays during term-time could face fines under new regulations to improve attendance rates

Parents face fines for taking children out of school during term time to go on holiday, under a crackdown by Education Secretary Michael Gove.

Heads will lose the ability to sanction up to two weeks a year of ‘authorised absence’ during term time, in a fresh drive to improve attendance rates.

The discretionary absence is intended to cover illness, bad weather and bereavements, but many heads come under pressure to grant it so that children can be taken on holidays at times when it is cheaper.

Education Secretary Michael Gove will be implementing new firm measures to stop parents taking children out of school for holidays

Under one option being considered,
parents who continue to remove their children to take advantage of
cheaper term-time holidays could receive a fine.

At present, parents who allow their
children to truant face a penalty of up to £100. Ministers however are
concerned these are so often reduced to conditional discharges by the
courts that they are becoming meaningless.

The proposals follow a review of
school discipline and attendance by teacher and behaviour expert Charlie
Taylor. It is thought 4.5million days of schooling are missed by pupils
going on holidays, which are often significantly more expensive during
school breaks.

Holidays are second only to sickness
as a reason given for absence, and three-quarters of days lost to
holidays are believed to be authorised by heads.

Ministers are concerned that the
perception that middle-class children can miss out on school time
creates a belief that truancy is accepted.

A source at the Department for
Education said: ‘Any time out of school has the potential to damage a
child’s education. That is why the Government will end the distinction
between authorised and unauthorised absence.’

Ministers believe high levels of
truancy are a key reason for under-attainment, and that children from
poorer backgrounds are held back by teachers unwilling to enforce
attendance.

They also say penalties imposed on
parents whose children play truant need to be tougher and more
vigorously enforced by the courts.

Brian Lightman, general secretary of
the Association of School and College Leaders, said: ‘The discretionary
ten days has become a bit of a cultural expectation with parents viewing
it as a right in some cases. It is not. Children only have one chance
to get their education right and for schools to do their best for
pupils. It is essential that children have good attendance.’

The National Association of Head
Teachers said the measure would discourage parents from trying to put
pressure on heads to sanction term-time holidays.

Research by travelsupermarket.com
reveals prices increase by up to 42 per cent for a family of four taking
a two-week trip to the Algarve during the school holidays.

A spokesman for the Department for
Education said the proposals had been revealed as a result of leaked
information and that they refused to comment on leaks.